Who loves that nuanced taste of ricotta cheese blended with herbs, tomatoes, and garlic? Who doesn’t actually? This recipe for vegan zucchini lasagna rolls delivers on the nuance while providing a more refreshing, more nutrient dense, clean version, that highlights the awesome natural flavors found in some of our favorite herbs and vegetables. These rolls are better suited for a lunch, brunch, or appetizer, but you could also have them for dinner along with some cooked grains, cannellini beans, and-or a green salad. Don’t let the small size fool you. The almond ricotta in these makes them quite rich and energy dense, and one can fill up on just a few. Get ready for a fantastic blend of fresh flavors!
(better than) Bieler’s Broth
Bieler’s Broth is a traditional healing, cleansing broth that is very popular among holistic and alternative medical professionals. The only bummer thing about Bieler’s Broth is that it doesn’t have much to offer from a culinary perspective. It’s just pretty freakin’ blah as far as I can tell. Since I’m all about making healthy eating not only simple, but also delicious– so that you can enjoy healthful foods the way nature intended– I came up with this modified version.
Read MoreGreen Glaze Collard Green Wraps with Shrimp, Coconut-Curry Rice & Kimchi
I have been growing a particular variety of collards in my garden called Green Glaze Collard Greens. I acquired the seedling from a fantastic local edible gardener, Loretta Allison. Unlike the collards we are used to, this plant produces tender leaves that are a perfect round shape for making collard green wraps or rolling up any number of ingredients. They have a delicate, well balanced, slightly sweet flavor that complements their filling without overwhelming the dish.
I have also been on a fermented food kick lately, and I had some kimchi calling out to me from the refrigerator. This got me thinking of Korean bbq and how good it would be to use those collards to hug some Asian-ispired flavors and textures. And this is what I ended up with…
Green Garlic Almond Cheese
Nothing says Spring like fresh green garlic at the farmer’s market. I grabbed a bunch the other day, and before I could put it into my bag this idea to make fresh raw almond cheese with green garlic popped into my head. This is a fresh, quick cheese that slightly resembles the consistency of a ricotta, and offers a nice, nutritious, dairy-free creaminess. The green garlic made it heavenly. You can use it on a sandwich with vine tomatoes, as an hors d’oeuvre filling or topping- as pictured, or try it in layers of lasagna. Enjoy!
Pea & Avocado dip with Pepitas & Cilantro
Fresh peas are in season! And I’m going to show you a way to enjoy them while making your healthy snacking easier with this pea & avocado dip recipe. Sometimes it can be a challenge finding a healthful dip that is not loaded with empty calories from refined oils, sugars, fillers, or commercial dairy products. This dip is a great solution to this challenge, and it seriously only takes about 10 minutes to make. Due to the lemon juice in the ingredients, it keeps for several days and has a lot of versatility in how it can be used. And, if enjoyed with fresh vegetables, this dip proves to be a very nutrient-dense snack—my favorite kind!
Read MoreSquash Blossom Coconut Brown Rice
Every once in a while, I love to treat myself to a delicious sticky coconut brown rice dish. There are many variations that can explored, like this version using fresh squash blossoms from the garden. I actually created this by accident, when I had picked a bunch of squash blossoms with the intention of doing a stuffed squash blossom dish. But then, I got busy and forgot to make time to do the dish, and the squash blossoms no longer had the perfect constitution for stuffing. Read More
Whole Roasted Butternut Squash with Tomatillo-Pepita Sauce & Pomegranate
My friend in Grand Junction Colorado gave me a few of her butternut squash when I was on a recent trip to her state. In addition to that, we had our own harvest of butternut squash here in Los Angeles. So, what to do with all that squash? Well, there is the typical soup, ravioli filling, and I even enchiladas. Or you can just do whole roasted butternut squash in a couple easy steps. This recipe could change the way you look at your butternut squash. So, move that butternut squash from being a table centerpiece to being your main course for dinner, or at least a side dish. It can also make a great Thanksgiving vegan entree, that in my opinion is way better, and less processed than Tofurkey or other vegan turkey substitutes. Because it isn’t meant to be anything like turkey. It just celebrates the squash, and makes it the star of the day. You can use this idea with any whole squash: delicata, pumpkin, you name it.Enjoy trying this out and let me know how you liked it in the comments.
Linguine with Cashew Cheese Sauce, Sage, Butternut Squash & Peas
This month my kid got married, and we got our first real feeling of autumn outside. My son’s wedding plays a part in today’s post. I decided to prepare the food for the wedding, and give it a personalized touch for the special occasion. The bride and groom wanted a vegan menu, with vegan macaroni and cheese being their favorite. The cashew cheese sauce for the mac and cheese came out so yummy I have been thinking about it all week.
Then, it dawned on me that this sauce with a couple modifications could make a great autumn pasta with butternut squash, sage and peas. And, that’s how my first post of autumn came about! This sauce is easy to make, packed with plant based protein and healthy fats. The crispy sage garnish makes a nice garnish and crunchy finish to this comforting, cool weather dish.
Vegan Grilled Gouda & Portobello Sandwich
I couldn’t decide whether throwing together a list of somewhat obscure plant based stabilizers and coconut milk would appeal to any readers. But if you know how awesome it is to find a vegan cheese that is easy to make, and has a really wonderful MELT, you can understand why I had to finally break down and share this. Factor in the current chilly wet weather we have been having, and well, there you go!
The cheese recipe is a slight adaptation from a quick cheese recipe found on one of my favorite plant- based living blogs. The obscure ingredients can be found at a mom and pop health market, Sprouts, or Whole Foods.
Cashew Mozzarella-Stuffed Paquillo Peppers
Have you ever passed the tapioca starch at the grocery store and wondered what in the world people use it for? Well, as it turns out, it can lend a key hand at making an awesome, meltable vegan cheese that can be made on the stovetop, literally in minutes. The cheese sort of resembles burrata, and has a great stretchy consistency, thanks to the tapioca starch. Tapioca comes from cassava root, so it is basically nothing more than a clean, plant-based stabilizer. I put it to the test with some paquillo peppers, and came up with this healthful version of the ubiquitous jalapeño popper. You can use paquillos, baby bells, jalapeños, or other stuff-able small chile, just make sure you are ready for whatever heat comes with whatever chile you choose. For example, a habanero would be adorable, but so hot you might not enjoy the cheese part. Have fun!